July 15, 2019

Why are Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, and Ayanna S. Pressley called "The Squad"?

I keep seeing the term without an explanation of its origin. It wasn't easy to Google — especially with all the clutter having to do with Trump's recent tweets, which we're already discussing here. This post is just about the term "The Squad."

I decided to search the NYT archive for the 4 names plus "the squad" and to look at the oldest  all of the returns. The oldest article was "For All the Talk of a Tea Party of the Left, Moderates Emerge as a Democratic Power" (June 30):
While the House’s liberal superstars are adept at promoting their progressive positions and routinely generate headlines for breaking with the party line, they have not made a habit of lobbying their colleagues to defy Ms. Pelosi en masse. Last week, the foursome known as The Squad...
No explanation of who started that term and why.

The second-oldest is "It’s Nancy Pelosi’s Parade/'If the left doesn’t think I’m left enough, so be it,' she told me," a Maureen Dowd column from July 6th.
I asked Pelosi whether...it was jarring to get a bad headline like the one in HuffPost that day — “What The Hell Is Nancy Pelosi Doing?” The article described the outrage of the Squad, as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts are known.
The term is not explained in the Dowd column (and isn't used in the HuffPo piece).

Next oldest is "Tensions Between Pelosi and Progressive Democrats of ‘the Squad’ Burst Into Flame" (July 9th):
Speaker Nancy Pelosi said they have no following in Congress. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York shot back that she and three of her fellow liberal freshmen, darlings of the left known collectively as “the squad,” are wielding the real power in the party.... The contretemps began when Maureen Dowd, the New York Times columnist, asked Ms. Pelosi about the squad’s fury over the border aid package... The squad and its allies argue that they are tapping into the real energy in the Democratic base with their uncompromising and unapologetic stances....
Again, the term is used with no explanation. Further down, we see:
“AOC and The Squad have changed the entire national debate,” said an email rehashing the spat from the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, which offered a colorful “I STAND WITH AOC” sticker to anyone who donated to their work “electing more AOC’s to Congress.”
That suggests that the women came up with that name for themselves. Why would they do that? Maybe they're taking an epithet and wearing it with pride. I don't know.

There's also this other usage of "squad" in that article:
“This is an inevitable tension between a few progressives with one priority, which is their ideology, and a speaker with many priorities, including preserving the majority in the House, electing a Democratic president against Trump, and responding to the consensus of her caucus,” said Steve Israel, a Democrat and former representative of New York. “To the extent that it distracts from Donald Trump and becomes a circular firing squad among Democrats, it can be lethal.”
I am going to guess that talk of a circular firing squad — there's been a lot of that — led to calling the 4 Congresswomen "The Squad." That would explain why the explanation of the origin is suppressed. Too violent. Too much like a death threat.

Consulting Urban Dictionary, I can see that the use of the term could be experienced as racist: "Crew, posse, gang: an informal group of individuals with a common identity and a sense of solidarity. The term is a bit flashy and is more likely to be heard in hip-hop lyrics than in spoken conversation"/"A word overused by teenagers that think they're ghetto to describe their clique of friends"/"A dumb word only used by white middle schoolers in suburban areas to describe their group of friends and try to sound ghetto. It doesnt make them sound ghetto, but actually increases their whiteness."

How embarrassing! Embarrassingness increases the likelihood that this is the real origin of the term, since the source of the term isn't talked about.

I get the feeling Maureen Dowd heard the term and thought it was hip/cute/clever and she went public with it without understanding the problem with it. Now, they're stuck with it and vulnerable if anyone is ever curious enough to ask about the origin.

ADDED: From Elle Magazine in 2015: "Meet Hillary Clinton's Girl Squad/On Wednesdays, they wear pantsuits." Also, from 2018: "What Happened to Taylor Swift's Girl Squad?/Taylor Swift practically invented #SquadGoals, and now she's traveling solo inside her own suitcase. What gives?"

186 comments:

alanc709 said...

According to the link (https://nyti.ms/2J04uVe), members of the Squad are moderates? In what universe?

Fen said...

I think it's from the comic book adaptation they did on Cortez

Henry said...

Urban Dictionary? Authoritative?

It's derived from Italian. It means "square".

I think that's kind of funny.

rehajm said...

It's a reference to a group of women. Girl Squads were all the rage a few years ago... but alas, no more...What happened to Taylor Swift's girl squad?

mesquito said...

Enjoy while you can. It’ll be racist and/or sexist in about 36 hours.

Ann Althouse said...

"According to the link (https://nyti.ms/2J04uVe), members of the Squad are moderates? In what universe?"

No, that's not what the article says. The moderates are in opposition to "The Squad."

rehajm said...

It's not just a group of friends, it is a force.

Kevin said...

It's supposed to bring to mind young hip girls that all the boys want and all the girls want to be.

I most associate it with Taylor Swift and her gang of hangers-on. https://taylorswift.fandom.com/wiki/Squad

Ann Althouse said...

"Urban Dictionary? Authoritative?"

Urban Dictionary records the slang usage of a word and has a voting system that provides evidence of the accuracy of the various definitions. I've given you 3 Urb. Dict. definitions that have been up for a while and have accumulated a lot of votes indicating this is the current usage of the term.

gspencer said...

Calling them the Four Femme Fatales would do as well.

Or, as a real throwback, Donald could call them "the Girls."

stevew said...

Remember the Mod Squad? Squad Cars? Most of my recollections of the use of that word come from police references.

It may have started as an insult that they've adopted as a badge of courage, of some sort.

Curious.

Beasts of England said...

My younger daughter and her small group of best friends call themselves a squad. Maybe it's a twenty-something thang...

Ann Althouse said...

"Enjoy while you can. It’ll be racist and/or sexist in about 36 hours."

Huh? I essentially called it racist in this post. I want credit for destroying the potential for enjoyment.

rhhardin said...

They should have used the band, get the Levon Helm vibe.

Bay Area Guy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
rhhardin said...

Squad comes from L quattuor, four.

ga6 said...

Stupid people, four person are a "fire team", three fire teams plus leader is a squad.

Laslo Spatula said...

"I want credit for destroying the potential for enjoyment."

THAT is a mantra.

I am Laslo.

Ann Althouse said...

"My younger daughter and her small group of best friends call themselves a squad. Maybe it's a twenty-something thang..."

Urb. Dictionary says it's a middle school thing.

By the way, Urb. Dict. defines "thang" as "Used by white parents to describe their child's interracial relationship in a way they think will help build rapport with their son or daughter's black boo."

Henry said...

I can understand referencing Urban Dictionary for some unusual usage, but "squad" has a pretty plain meaning. It's not going to send anyone scrambling to Urban Dictionary to figure it out.

"is" is also in Urban Dictionary.

"is" actually has a funny entry.

rhhardin said...

Could have been the octet, from the tit count.

Or quadropus, after octopus.

rehajm said...

Squad 51 is a 1972 Dodge D-300 truck

bleh said...

People still use squad. "Squad goals" is or was a popular meme on the Internet. Also "when your whole squad ..." is another meme.

M said...

AOC’s image has been carefully curated by Leftist money groups. The same people have taken the other three dipshits into the marketing group. Squad is a slang term that is cool with the white and upper middle class “brown” teens and the immature twenty somethings who make up the college voting block for the Democratic Socialists (these are the same people who put Harry Potter on great literature you must read lists). They are using th idea of the Squad to try to appeal to the most easily manipulated of their constituents. Just more propaganda from the Globalists.

Bay Area Guy said...

The great Rolling Stone, once put Nancy and the Squad on the cover and called them the "New Voices."

I guess times change....

Beasts of England said...

'By the way, Urb. Dict. defines "thang" as "Used by white parents to describe their child's interracial relationship in a way they think will help build rapport with their son or daughter's black boo."'

I live in the South, professor - my pronunciation of 'thing' is 'thang'. It ain't that deep...

AllenS said...

Meanwhile, Trump was heard saying: WOOT WOOT WOOOOOOOT!

Silence said...

Squad has been used for years by teens to refer to a group of friends.

It's even been used in one of your blog posts about Taylor Swift:-

https://althouse.blogspot.com/2018/10/a-graphic-depiction-of-inane-gender.html

Bay Area Guy said...

Good article on AOC's Chief of Staff -- Saikat Chakrabarti -- the leftwing brains behind the outfit.

Basically, he is left of Bernie Sanders and wants the Democrat Party to go far left, and then the country.

Ignorance is Bliss said...

Why are Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, and Ayanna S. Pressley called "The Squad"?

Because it polled better than either "The Bolsheviks" or "The Coven"

Bay Area Guy said...

By the way, Urb. Dict. defines "thang" as "Used by white parents to describe their child's interracial relationship in a way they think will help build rapport with their son or daughter's black boo."

Kamala's in-laws.

rehajm said...

Urb. Dictionary says it's a middle school thing.

Those middle school girls aged and won congressional seats.

rcocean said...

This is obviously derived from the Mod Squad. The hippest show on TV. There was long haired rebel "Pete" from Beverly Hills. There was was "Flower child" Julie from SF. And finally, Lincoln from Watts. Together, they fought without guns and would never arrest "kids". "One White, One Black, One Blonde."

Pete Cochran: Where does a high school student get a gun?

Linc Hayes: You kidding? You can walk up to a shop counter and buy one, just like bubble gum.

M Jordan said...

I thought AOC first used it and just the other day.

rcocean said...

I see Ilhan Omar as "Julie"

rcocean said...

There's also Police Squad. And M Squad. Which are related. Lee Marvin kicks ass in M Squad.

rcocean said...

Calling themselves the "Crew" "Posse" or "Gang" wouldn't fit. Congratulations on branding themselves "The Squad". It could be they called themselves "the Quad" and someone misheard it.

Leora said...

I thought it was like the Cheerleading Squad - you know that all the really cool girls are in.

sara said...

When I think of all the middle-schoolers I know who have posted SnapChat and Instagram stories with #squadgoals, it seems a pretty apt description of AOC and her leadership of this group. Which is to say, much like a young teen, she feels empowered by her "squad" and has the social media accolades to feed her narcissism.

Wince said...

The WOKE SQUAD...

IN COLOR
.

Nonapod said...

I assume "The Squad" has something to do with the "Justice Democrats" Pac and that Saikat Chakrabarti weirdo who many believe is AOC's puppeteer.

Kalli Davis said...

I believe Nancy was emphasizing the smallest of this slice of the Democratic party.
One can't call them a "wing", or a "caucus" or a group because they only have 4 votes. Calling them a squad is apropos.

Char Char Binks, Esq. said...

It's from The Milizia Volontaria per la Sicurezza Nazionale, AKA Camicie Nere (Blackshirts), AKA the squadristi, of the Italian National Fascist Party.

Hagar said...

An infantry company has three platoons with four squads each.

One problem is that this squad of only four people have nothing in common besides being loud witless females and, of course, in Congress.

tpceltus said...

I don't know about the origins of the squad usage, but the Congress or the media does have a habit of picking up terms like Gang of 8, Gang of 4.

Hagar said...

An infantry company has three platoons with four squads each.

One problem is that this squad of only four people have nothing in common besides being loud witless females and, of course, in Congress.

Bay Area Guy said...

Obama: "If you like your doctor, you can keep him"

Trump: "If you hate your country, you can leave it"

Nice parallel Presidential cadence, although the first was a lie.

Hagar said...

Come to think of it, also that they are young, poorly educated, and have no respect for their elders - particularly Nancy Pelosi.

TrespassersW said...

Squad? Whatever. Nationwide, it appears that "the Squad" is looked upon with growing distaste.

https://www.dailywire.com/news/49475/not-typo-democrat-poll-shows-what-voters-think-ryan-saavedra

Hell, I read somewhere that wunderkind AOC is not exactly regarded as a rockstar in her own district.

Pass the popcorn. With extra butter and schadenfreude, please.

Bilwick said...

Perhaps from the phrase "goon squad." That would be fitting.

Anne in Rockwall, TX said...

Color me confused. I thought AOC was too busy with all those committees Pelosi put her on to have time to put together a squad.

Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...

can Warren muster a posse and call it the Squaw?

Nancy said...

I'm going with Tucker Carlson's "Four Morons of the Apocalypse".

Yancey Ward said...

Stupid quacks upon a dais.

Left Bank of the Charles said...

"Squad" was originated by AOC on Instagram. See The Hill (11/13/18).

"How embarrassing!" It's funny to catch Althouse limiting her search for the origins of a new cultural and political term to the NYT archives - it's the paper of record. Now I fully expect her to go full Trump and double down on Maureen Dowd being the first to expand "squad" to "the squad".

Left Bank of the Charles said...

https://thehill.com/homenews/House/416370-ocasio-cortez-shares-photo-of-her-new-squad-on-capitol-hill

Amadeus 48 said...

It's the Mod Squad, baby, those totally happenin' undercover commissars from 2018 (one Somali, one PR, one Palestinian, and one African-American from a chi-chi private school in Lincoln Park right by the zoo). They are here to bust your chops and take your liberty with a wink and a smile. Look out! Captain Nancy Pelosi is there to house-mom these adventurous Congress-critters. "The times are changing," said Captain Pelosi. "They can get into places we can't."

So, it's "Keep the faith", "dig it", "groovy" and "solid!" all the way with these darling debutants from America's hottest Congressional districts: the Bronx; Brookline; Detroit; St. Louis Park.

Earnest Prole said...

I take it you only recently had that Google “websearch” software installed on your mainframe.

November 12, 2018: Rashida Tlaib, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Post ‘Squad’ Pics Of Diverse New Members Of Congress

November 13, 2018: ‘Squad’: Ayanna Pressley, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, and Rashida Tlaib band together at orientation

November 15, 2018: First Squad Congress Edition

rehajm said...

The squad calls a press conference and stands on a stage to say 'don't take the bait'. You just did, dinnya?

Automatic_Wing said...

So it's like the Facts of Life, with Pelosi playing Mrs. Garrett. Ok.

MikeR said...

I think it was originally "The Squid".

Gahrie said...

"I want credit for destroying the potential for enjoyment."

THAT is a mantra.


And the ultimate proof that Althouse is indeed a Lefty.

narciso said...

think of the alien squid in watchmen, just as sanitary,

Fandor said...

When is someone going to remind "the squad" that each of them took an oath, administered by the vice-president,"to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America" which is inclusive of ALL of the laws presently on "the books"?
If, "the squad" wishes to see a change in area of the law, or for that matter, the Constitution, they have been empowered to propose changes with the tools their office provides. Thus far, all that I've seen and heard from "the squad" is a lot of irresponsible blunderbuss, grandstanding emotional blather and seditious yammering. They disgrace the offices they hold and I hope the voters who put them in congress wake up!

LTC Ted said...

The Gang of Four could stand for any insurgent commie band like that led by Madame Mao.

Unknown said...

Pretty sure it comes from the now-not-so-cool "Squad Goals" or "SquadGoals" representing a statement about small group solidarity, or those who aspire to it.

Howard said...

Hagar: would you be happy with fire team?

stevew said...

They are giving a press conference, and lying throughout. To early to call but I think Trump is winning.

Kathryn51 said...

"Bride Squad" is a very popular term as millennials start adulting into the real world.

stevew said...

Note also that the one that married her brother to stay here is doing most of the talking. She is the only non-native. Also the one with the lowest favorables.

Gahrie said...

I thought they called themselves the bleak squad as a riff on Geek Squad.

Sprezzatura said...

Too bad this squad thing-y didn't happen earlier.

If it had, Althouse would find that link, hence she'd be w/ the yutes. She'd have known about the Swift/Perry beef.

A few folks were in on it earlier:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcIy9NiNbmo

Flash forward to now: she's worried folks will steal her cred re calling out racism. SJdub is in her wheelhouse. Like the HRC ad w/ the N word.

Duh.

Gahrie said...

Note also that the one that married her brother to stay here is doing most of the talking.

Actually I believe she married her brother so that he could stay here.

FWBuff said...

"Squad" is one of those words that, the more often you say it, the weirder it sounds.

traditionalguy said...

The Police Squad sounds right. AOC is Inspector Dreben and Talib is Norbert.

reader said...

Saw squad, thought mod, jumped to broad. Now they are stuck in my head as the Broad Squad.

stevew said...

@gahrie
I yield to you, that is ‘better’ for my purposes.

MikeD said...

Took 15 minutes of commenting to get the most common use of squad, a military unit.

Oso Negro said...

They need one more. Then they can be called "Fox Force Five". AOC is the one who tells jokes.

Leland said...

An accidental release from the new journolist? They've been using it internally for so long with each other, they didn't realize the phrase hadn't been defined publicly.

Stephanie Delmonico said...

The Jihad Squad

The Odd Squad

Socialsistahs

Cuntstitutionalists

The Coal Mine Canaries

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse .... The Four HorsezzGrrlllzzz of the Apocalypse. Of course, Chikita Krushez thinks shes a member of a calypso band.

Day-O!

Earnest Prole said...

"Squad" is one of those words that, the more often you say it, the weirder it sounds.

Squat.

JAORE said...

A murder of crows, a gaggle of geese, a squad of socialists.

Earnest Prole said...

For those too lazy to click, squad is a somewhat ironically hip term for a girl gang that AOC and her fellow radical-women-of-color Representatives adopted shortly after they were elected in 2018.

Unknown said...

The family feud approach:

"Cheerleader Squad" seems the most familiar usage to me. Goog returns 800K uses of the phrase. Uh oh, 6 million uses of "death squad": an armed paramilitary group formed to kill political opponents.

death squad
cheerleader squad

In this sense our Anti-American cheerleaders are like the "Smells like Teen Spirit" with the Anarchy symbols on their black uniforms.

Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit (Official Music Video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTWKbfoikeg

"Here we are now, entertain us."... with a fountain of misinformation.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

The squad is the new radical leftwing face of the democrat party. could also be called the squat.
Have fun.

exiledonmainstreet, green-eyed devil said...

They would be more accurately described as The Coven.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

The squad want to tax rape you so they can live large. Like royalty. and give the rest to illegal entrants. The leftist cry baby media label this "Moderate."


AOC makes 175K a year.

Unknown said...

"geek squad" = 4 million uses, "mod squad" at 2 million.

"Death Squad" remains the most common phase at 6 million - coincidentally the number of Jews killed in concentrations camps - at our border? I get confused by all the woke messaging and my lack of history knowledge.

Any other variations?

Sheridan said...

Old shows! Mod Squad, Charlie's Angels, Wonder Women!! How about Cong Squad?! Do they wear costumes?

Kirk Parker said...

rhh @ 2:59pm,


They should have used Teen Girl Squad, get the Strongbad vibe.

Swede said...

That's what the cool kids call the other cool kids that they hang out with.

For me, it's a group (usually around 10) of heavily armed, superbly trained, and well disciplined guys who will fuck your world up.

Mine's cooler.

William said...

As Stephanie notes above, squad usually has a descriptive word before or after it. They're begging for trouble. Of course, any pejorative term will only serve to enhance their martyrdom.....I saw the press conference. Press conference, my eye. They only took two questions, neither one harsh or even skeptical. Not that anybody in the press would ever drill down on any of the blatant lies they made in their statements....My prediction is that they will receive lavish praise for their performance in the media and the press. This lavish praise will not make them or the media look good.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Nobody is left enough for The Clan, The squad, whatever.

narciso said...

you could call them the fedayeen, they were the Palestinian squad, also the fremen fighters,

walter said...

Gang of Hate.

MacMacConnell said...

Mao's Quad.

madAsHell said...

Pussy Riot was already taken.

Sprezzatura said...

I'm bad at math, but it seems like one ICEbae > one squad.

Just sayin'

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Trump:

So interesting to see “Progressive” Democrat Congresswomen, who originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe, the worst, most corrupt and inept anywhere in the world (if they even have a functioning government at all), now loudly......

....and viciously telling the people of the United States, the greatest and most powerful Nation on earth, how our government is to be run. Why don’t they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came. Then come back and show us how....


Sing it.

stevew said...

Trump is better at this than they are, better than anyone.

Winning.

Pookie Number 2 said...

Al Squaeda?

Clyde said...

alanc709 said...
According to the link (https://nyti.ms/2J04uVe), members of the Squad are moderates? In what universe?


They're to the right of Juche.

rhhardin said...

The military squad meant square, which was the formation everybody was in. Got everybody's six, three and nine.

dbp said...

I have three daughters, ranging from 17 to 22. The term "squad" was used by all of them to refer to themselves and small groups of friends. It seems like it peaked 3-4 years ago and has been tapering in use since then.

MadTownGuy said...

(Political) Suicide Squad.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Pookie #2 - lol.

gilbar said...

ga6 said... four person are a "fire team", three fire teams plus leader is a squad.

help please!
is a fire team led by a Sargent E-5)?,
and then is a squad led by a Staff Sargent (E-6)?
Don't they have sections anymore?

thanx! Trying to make it into the late 20th century :)

Fernandinande said...

Cheer Squad
Cold Squad
Design Squad
Felony Squad
Fraud Squad
Garage Squad
Ghost Squad
Hat Squad
Knight Squad
Loiter Squad
M Squad
Mod Squad
Model Squad
Monster Squad
Odd Squad
Police Squad
Racket Squad
Super Hero Squad
The Squad
Vice Squad

Ralph L said...

These dedicated socialists are members of an elite squad known as the I am a Special Victim Unit. These are their stories. Bum bum.

Ralph L said...

Gang of Four was taken.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Ralph L---> - lol!!!

doctrev said...

I'm the first to come up with the Brute Squad? You people aren't as old as I thought you were.

Terrorist weasels out of condemning Al-Qaeda on camera. PER FUCKING FECTION.

We are gonna destroy this election. The great plan unfolds!

Darrell said...

No,No, No,

It's 'The Squat."

narciso said...


http://meaninginhistory.blogspot.com/2019/07/briefly-noted-actual-news-re-carter.html

HipsterVacuum said...

TEEN GIRL SQUAD!

Anne in Rockwall, TX said...

Fernand, if I click on that cheer squad link and it takes me to pornhub, I'll be soooooo pissed!

YoungHegelian said...

They'll called "The Squad" because there's too much chance of a linguistic slip-up if they were called "The Posse".

narciso said...


https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/ousted-uk-ambassador-leaked-us-intelligence?utm_source=WEX_News%20Brief_07/15/2019&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=WEX_News%20Brief&rid=12167

Fernandinande said...

More from IMDB -
Alpha Squad Seven
Animal Rescue Squad
Atom Squad
Auction Squad
B Squad
Barbie: Spy Squad
Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad
Big Body Squad
Bike Squad
Bikini Squad
Blade Squad
Blonde Squad
Bod Squad
Bomb Squad
Boy Squad
Broad Squad
Bunco Squad
C.A.T. Squad
Cheer Squad
Chomp Squad
Chopper Squad
Church Squad
Commando Squad
Costa Del Sol Squad
Crime Squad
Cyber Squad
Data Squad
Date Squad
Dead Squad
Death Squad
Demon Squad
Dino Squad
Doll Squad
Dragon Squad
Drop Squad
Elite Squad
Execution Squad
Exosquad
F-Squad
Female Fight Squad
Fighter Squad
Firing Squad
First Squad
Flight Squad
Flying Squad
Gangster Squad
Gold Squad
Green Squad
Hell Squad
Hit-and-Run Squad
Hollywood Vice Squad
Jack Squad
Kill Squad
Kirk Squad
Lost Squad
Mega Time Squad
Mom Squad
Mutant Girls Squad
Naji Attallah's Squad
Nazi Death Squads
Night Squad
Ninja Squad
Panther Squad
Pep Squad
Pet Squad
Red Squad
Revenger Squad
Riot Squad
Salvage Squad
Scot Squad
Sinister Squad
Special Squad
Squad 77
Squad 85
Squad Car
Squad Goals
Squad R
Squad Up
Squad Wars
Squad X
Starter Squad
Stunt Squad
Suicide Squad
Teenie Weenie Bikini Squad
Terror Squad
Top Squad
Treasure Squad
Vienna Crime Squad
X-Squad
Z-Squad
Zoo Squad

John Scott said...

More like Curly Joe showing up to make it a foursome.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Leave it to the hack-D commie press to define radical left as "moderate."

Marcus Bressler said...

I just call them "Those Cunts" and my squad knows of whom I refer.

THEOLDMAN

walter said...

anti-de Sitter space said...
I'm bad at math, but it seems like one ICEbae > one squad.
--
She goes to 11.

Ken B said...

I think Left Bank and a couple others have produced convincing evidence that AOC and company originated the term, last year. They provided several links . This is social media savvy in operation.
Pretty much destroys Althouse's speculations.

NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...

Michael Collins had "The Squad."

Earnest Prole said...

Pretty much destroys Althouse's speculations.

From the first link I posted: “Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez shared a photo of herself with fellow Democratic representative-elects Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley and Rashida Tlaib, aptly captioned: ‘Squad.’” That was November 12 of last year.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Terror squad
Squid squad
media hog squad

Gahrie said...

Fraud Squad

Ken B said...

Prole
Yes, that is pretty strong evidence!

Althouse has missed the boat here, carried away by her pretty theories. I don’t mean her speculation as to the origin. I mean not seeing why a snappy meme the “the squad” would be exactly what a media savvy attention seeker would want. The goal of advertising is to own a word in people's brains. They do.

Doug said...

The Squad That Don't Know Squat.

Howard said...

squat squad squaws

cubanbob said...

Call them what they are: The Commie Quad.

cronus titan said...

Why are they using it? Because they are a caricature of the high school girls' clique that think they are too cool for school. They get to decide who is in the clique. Nancy is too uncool to be in the clique and besides she's old.

THey are one step way from getting jackets with "The Squad" on the back. "Mean Girls" as a movie, not a how-to guide.

donald said...

No, that's not what the article says. The moderates are in opposition to "The Squad."
Who is a moderate democrat?

Darrell said...

Fucking Howard the Fuck said...
squat squad squaws
7/15/19, 7:17 PM


The jackalope steals from other commenters on the page. Should be a bannable offense.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

I was shoe shopping and I found these.

With their juicy tax payer funded government whore salary, the quad should buy some.

TJM said...

The Odd Squad would be accurate.

Darkisland said...

Given what the "squad" is up to, maybe it is time for some vocabulary building:


Phrase of the day from Merriam Webster

Irish confetti noun

"a rock or brick used as a missile"


I had thought it was specifically a paving brick and was reminded of it when I caught a snatch of the news as walking through the living room.

Yesterday and today there have been increasingly rowdy demonstrations in front of the governor's mansion in old San Juan calling on him to resign. One problem is that he can't resign because he fired the Secretary of State Saturday. The SOS is next in succession and the attorney general after him.

What is happening right now, about 9PM is that demonstrators are tearing up the cobblestone streets of Old San Juan and throwing the bricks "Irish confetti" at the police, who are in riot gear.

It is getting very messy.

Moral of the story be careful of who you chat with in private. NOTHING is private on the Internet. Here's the story.

https://www.elnuevodia.com/english/english/nota/governorspoliticalpartyscramblestofindpossiblereplacement-2505698/

This comes on top of the FBI arresting several top officials and contractors on Monday for corruption.

Oy vey. What a mess.

But perhaps it is the tipping point we finally need to start MPRGA. Or not.

John Henry

DavidD said...

"I am going to guess that talk of a circular firing squad — there's been a lot of that — led to calling the 4 Congresswomen 'The Squad.' That would explain why the explanation of the origin is suppressed. Too violent. Too much like a death threat."

A circular firing squad is not a like a death threat.

Typically, a firing squad would stand on a line facing its target, who would be against a wall.

The members of a circular firing squad FACE EACH OTHER, with the target in the center of the circle.

A wall would stop a bullet; the target does not....

Browndog said...

So, nobody knows why every major "news" outlet is using the term "squad", but that doesn't stop Althouse commenters from seeing who can use the word "squad" the most in a sentence.

Nice work, squad.

Sprezzatura said...

"But perhaps it is the tipping point we finally need to start MPRGA."

A legal tax dodge is pretty great already.

narciso said...

That wasnt smart:

https://mobile.twitter.com/DailyCaller/status/1150924134702075904

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

After the hate and garbage that spews out of Omar's mouth and twitter feed - she deserves what she gets.

DavidD said...

Also, "Consulting Urban Dictionary, I can see that the use of the term could be experienced as racist[.]"

It's 2019; it's the Trump era. Anything and everything can be experienced as raaaaacist.

. <--- that's raaaaacist.

Phil 314 said...

I like “The Coven”

John henry said...

Blogger anti-de Sitter space said...

A legal tax dodge is pretty great already.

Which "tax dodge" would that be?

John Henry

Browndog said...

So, it turns out "squad" came from the Pressley woman in the press conference, who used it twice to describe her fellow America haters.

Apoligies if I missed it in the comments; just saw a clip of it.

BTW- Pressley was the one a NutJob-Roots:

“This is the time to shake that table. ... We don’t need any more brown faces that don’t want to be a brown voice,” Pressley reportedly said during the event. “We don’t need any more black faces that don’t want to be a black voice.”

Beasts of England said...

'Gang of Hate.'

Winner, winner, chicken dinner!!

Fen said...

I think it's from the comic book adaptation they did on Cortez

My bad, the comic uses the term AOC & Freshman Force, not Squad.

Fen said...

I'm the first to come up with the Brute Squad?

Hey! I was out looking for a holocaust cloak and wheelbarrow.

David said...

What about the British version; namely, the Awkward Squad of hard left Labour politicians like Jeremy Corbyn and Dennis Skinner?

Lucien said...

“Fox Force Four” would earn them a cease and desist letter from Tarantino’s lawyers, while Antifa has “Blackshirt Thugs” sewn up.

Guildofcannonballs said...

Squaw says it all. Drop the d damnit!

They want to be seen as virgins getting assaulted by Trump and his dirty, dirty tweets.

s'opihjerdt said...

Diddly squad!

ceowens said...

The most important squad. M249 - SAW - Squad Automatic Weapon

Bay Area Guy said...

These 4 are Leftists. That they are women of color is secondary.

They want high taxes, big government and open borders.

'Nuff said.

Achilles said...

Bay Area Guy said...
These 4 are Leftists. That they are women of color is secondary.

They want high taxes, big government and open borders.

'Nuff said.


Not enough said. You are whitewashing their crap.

They want to spy on and persecute their political opponents, us, and force us to pay for illegals health care.

They have endorsed attacks on law enforcement buildings and people.

Gary Snodgrass said...

AOC reminds me of Joe McCarthy from the 50s. If you don't agree with him/her you are the enemy. he/she will lie and scheme to get attention. They don't care about the country. They care only about their own fame. Also, her Chief of Staff reminds me of Roy Cohn, McCarthy's chief council and the brains behind the man.

Paul said...

They are called "The Squad" cause they are the Democrat suicide squad. And they are taking the whole DNC down with them.

Fen said...

If Trump had listened to the Civility Watch Republicans, Rep Ilhan Omar would never have taken a press conference where she

1) refused to condemn the Antifa terrorist attack on ICE
2) refused to clarify whether she supports ISIS
3) proclaimed that Muslims should not be asked to denounce Islamic terror

This is why the GOP Cucks in an orderly retreat on their Surrender Gracefully tour: if you never take the field you never force your enemy to make an Own Goal.

This is why we are never going back to the Failure Theater of McCain and Romney post-Trump.


Speaking of: Bill Kristol is begging for tar and feathers:

Kristol: A must-read from George Conway: "What’s at stake now is more important than judges or tax cuts or regulations or any policy issue of the day. What’s at stake are the nation’s ideals, its very soul."

Yes, that's right. NeverTrumper "principles" mean sacrificing the Circuit Courts, the Supreme Court, tax cats, deregulation, and throwing all other conservative issues under the bus to get Orange Man removed from office.

I'm almost tempted to switch to Marxism just to become the Commandant of whatever gulag Bill Kristol gets sent to.

walter said...

Tough day for Chuck's liver.

Fen said...

No kidding. Chuck my man, go out back and grab a tree branch and bite down hard.

FWIW, I doubt I would have the discipline to keep my mouth shut if I were you.

Stay the course.

Bob said...

Blogger/Israeli activist Pamela Geller is referring to the as "The Jihad Squad." LOL.

Michelle said...

This is all too dembarrassing.

Quaestor said...

"My younger daughter and her small group of best friends call themselves a squad. Maybe it's a twenty-something thang..."

Next stop: Staffel (Within spittin' distance already.)

dandean said...

The Squabs

Unknown said...

> The Squabs

GAME OVER

I declare a winner

Unknown said...

> 'Gang of Hate.'

I admit, its Gr8,

> Winner, winner, chicken dinner!!

but I'm having "squab" for dinner

annoying pigeons shitting on statues (history)

--2 apt cru

Unknown said...

> "The Jihad Squad."

lol

2nd place

AllenS said...

The Kamikazes would be more apt.

tim in vermont said...

Pelosi is worried that “The Squad” will spook the mark, the mark being moderate Democrats.

Nichevo said...

Peak Althouse!

Gahrie said...
"I want credit for destroying the potential for enjoyment."

THAT is a mantra.

And the ultimate proof that Althouse is indeed a Lefty.

7/15/19, 4:27 PM


It's almost that leftism is Althousian. Congratulations Althouse, you can quit blogging now, you'll never be truer to yourself.

Nichevo said...


Howard said...
Hagar: would you be happy with fire team?

7/15/19, 4:36 PM


As in, the first off CPT Zappacosta's Higgins boat at Omaha Beach? Such violent anti-woman imagery from you, Howie. I'd settle for "fired team" in 2020.

Clyde said...

If they could get Elizabeth Warren to join their little clique, they could be The Squawed.

Frances Auger said...

Alt-Left Squad

Fen said...

Just just demonstrate ONCE AGAIN how bad Inga's analysis was on how Trump will create a backlash wave: new polling has Democrats terrified Trump has now branded AOC & Squad as the face of the Democrat party.

Top Democrats are circulating a poll showing that one of the House's most progressive members — Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — has become a definitional face for the party with a crucial group of swing voters.

"If all voters hear about is AOC, it could put the House majority at risk," said a top Democrat who is involved in 2020 congressional races. "She's getting all the news and defining everyone else’s races."


Ocasio-Cortez was recognized by 74% of voters in the poll; 22% had a favorable view. Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota — another member of The Squad — was recognized by 53% of the voters; 9% (not a typo) had a favorable view.

Fen said...

Alt-Left Squad

Ctrl-Left

tim in vermont said...

You know who has a “squad”? Becky, the girl at the start of Baby Got Back.

Sam L. said...

Because "squid" would be weird!

TrespassersW said...

Kirk Parker said...

They should have used Teen Girl Squad, get the Strongbad vibe.

So...
Cheerleader = AOC
So and So = Omar
What's Her Face = Pressley
leaving
The Ugly One = Tlaib

Works for me.

JAORE said...

They, collectively, know diddly-squad.

Rockport Conservative said...

My preferred term for them is The Hateful Harpies of the House.

mockturtle said...

Politically, they are more like The Gang of Four [China, the 1970's].

Kalli Davis said...

We could rebrand them. The Squad becomes the Commie Caucus.

P31W said...


Disclaimer: all previous comments of "Kalli Davis" were written by Brian Andrew Davis.